Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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2465. To ask the Minister for Health if interim payments will be available pending final determination; the criteria for hardship; the process for periodic review of awards where clinical status changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46197/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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2467. To ask the Minister for Health the current number of children waiting for speech and language, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and psychology services in south Tipperary; the average waiting time for each service; the number of children waiting for an assessment of needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46199/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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2468. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which a family can access vaccines for their child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46205/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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2469. To ask the Minister for Health the rationale for a decision to award limited home help and home support hours to a person (details supplied); if she is satisfied that the service offered fully responds to the needs of this person as a holder of an enhanced medical card under the mother and baby home scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46207/25]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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2470. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans to change the rules for the shingles vaccination and allow patients over 70 years to receive it through the medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46211/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Shingles vaccination is not currently provided as part of the national immunisation programme.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) recently carried out a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on the herpes zoster vaccine which protects against shingles. A HTA is a multidisciplinary research process that collects and summarises information about a health technology. The information can cover a range of fields, including clinical effectiveness and safety, cost-effectiveness and budget impact, organisational and social aspects, and ethical and legal issues. The information is collected and presented in a systematic, unbiased and transparent manner.

HIQA’s HTA examined the evidence on the clinical effectiveness and safety of shingles vaccines. The cost effectiveness and budget impact were also reviewed, along with the ethical, social and organisational implications of including the vaccine in the adult immunisation schedule.

HIQA published this HTA on 19 July 2024. The HTA found that adding the shingles vaccine to the routine immunisation schedule would not be cost effective and would be associated with a substantial budget impact.

Given that the healthcare budget is finite and decisions regarding increased spending relating to a change in one area could impact the provision of other health technologies and treatments within the healthcare system, the cost-effectiveness must be considered in any decision-making process.

My Department has considered the findings of this HTA and determined that the introduction of the vaccine could be reconsidered when the cost effectiveness of the vaccine is confirmed as being more favourable.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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2471. To ask the Minister for Health if she will review the correspondence (details supplied); if she will expedite the appointment referred to therein; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46219/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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2473. To ask the Minister for Health the number of consultancy rooms for doctors practicing privately in the new Children's Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46223/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The National Children’s Hospital Ireland project remains the most significant capital investment programme undertaken in the healthcare system in Ireland. It will provide world-class, state of the art facilities where our healthcare professionals will deliver optimal care, leading to better health outcomes for all. This is a much-needed and much-deserved investment in our children and young people.

The vast majority of services in National Children's Hospital Ireland will be public services. Currently, as part of the Common Contract for Consultants negotiated in 2008, many consultants holding specific contracts are entitled to engage in private outpatient practice outside of their public commitment. CHI is legally obliged to provide such facilities for consultants holding these contracts. Ultimately, the proposal is for consultants to pay a fee for use of private rooms and other operational costs.

The private outpatient clinic at the new children’s hospital represents circa 0.25% of the clinical space within the new children’s hospital.

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, with a more complete answer, as soon as possible.

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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2474. To ask the Minister for Health when an overdue reviewed service statement in respect of a child (details supplied) will be provided; if she will contact the HSE in relation to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46225/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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2475. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant nephrologists based at Tallaght University Hospital in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46228/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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2476. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE paediatric occupational therapist posts that were actually filled within primary care system within CHO7 in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46229/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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2477. To ask the Minister for Health the current vacancies, by job title within older persons services within CHO7; the estimated timeframe for filling each of the vacancies, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46230/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.